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The Arts and Sciences Council, April 16, 2019, 3:30-5:00, Old Main Chapel

Meeting Minutes (Draft)

Representatives present: Barbara Buttenfield, GEOG; Cathy Comstock, RAPS; James Cowell, LING; Michaele Ferguson, PSCI; John Gibert, CLAS; Gerardo Gutierrez, ANTH; Juan Herrero-Senes, SPAN; Leslie Irvine, SOCY; Janet Jacobs, WGST; Berit Jany, GSLL; Daniel Jones, HNRS; Julie Lundquist, ATOC; Matt McQueen, IPHY; Akira Miyake, PSYC; Stephen Mojzsis, GEOL; Christina Meyers-Denman, SLHS; Lonni Pearce, PWR; Patricia Rankin, PHYS; Evelyn Shih, ALC; David Stock, EBIO; Rob Tubbs, MATH; Tim Weston, HIST; Deborah Whitehead, RLST; Ding Xue, MCDB; Masano Yamashita, FRIT

Representatives not present: Daniel Appelö, APPM; Tanja Cuk, CHEM; Françoise Duresse-Stimilli, AAH; Erica Ellingson, APS; Jim Goodrich, BCHM; Paul Gordon, HUMN; Jon Hughes, ECON; Dan Kaufman, PHIL; Joanna Lambert, ENVS; Ramesh Mallipeddi, ENGL; Hanna Shell, CINE; Ted Stark, THDN

Ex-officios: present: Sarah Altshuler, UCSG; Alicia Turchette, SAC

Also in attendance: Anne Becher, SPAN; Denise Bender, PSYC; Katie Clark, EBIO; Robert Clark, A&S Sandy Crowell, CLAS; Michelle Erks, AAH; Allison Glover, SPAN; Vilja Hulden, HIST; Mary Long, SPAN; Tania Martuscelli, SPAN; Rolf Norgaard, PWR; Elaine Paul, AAH; Vicky Romano, A&S Danielle Salaz, ALC; Scott Spanbauer, SPAN; Bernadette Stewart, A&S Rebecca Wartell, JWST; Jim White, A&S

The meeting was called to order at 3:30PM.

Chair’s remarks, Stephen Mojzsis

Professor Mojzsis welcomed the ASC members, staff and student representatives and faculty members, thanking all who helped the ASC work for the professional health of the college.

The Boulder Faculty Senate is holding a town hall April 17, 4:00-5:30 in the Old Main Chapel to discuss the sole candidate for the president of the university.

Chair election, Barbara Buttenfield, Parliamentarian

Professor Buttenfield announced the one nominee for chair, Stephen Mojzsis and opened the floor for additional nominations. There were none; nominations were closed. Professor Mojzsis was asked to address the representatives prior to a vote. Professor Mojzsis promised to work hard for the faculty, staff and students especially in light of the various restructuring initiatives.

Professor Mojzsis left the room and ballots were distributed to the attending ASC representatives. 

Dean’s remarks, Jim White

The Provost and CFO have put out a statement concerning course fees. Two years ago, the campus stopped student-paid fees and started giving the money directly to the colleges. The College of Arts and Sciences will form a committee that will, using the same calculous used previously to set course fees, give the money to the departments. 

The major concern is that previously the campus paid benefits for any personnel paid for by course fees; it is not clear they will continue to absorb this cost.

On November 15, the college will send in course fee requests, or its new title, Academic Program Allocation.

Three committees will be formed to look at the college restructuring proposal: structural, budget and governance committees. They will meet in the summer and fall and in December report on the feasibility of the restructuring. If it is feasible, a search for a transitional dean will begin.

Committee Reports

Curriculum Committee, Juan Herrero-Senes

The Curriculum Committee considers and makes recommendations to the FAS, ASC and dean on curricular matters in the college. This year the committee reviewed 86 proposals in areas such as nominations for Gen Ed requirements and Diversity requirements.

Diversity Committee, Daniel Jones

The Diversity Committee works to address diversity and inclusion efforts on campus. Currently they are working with the Curriculum Committee to facilitate new courses for Gen Ed diversity categories. They are also working with FRPA, trying to bring diversity into an umbrella category connected to all faculty work.

Grievance Committee, John Gibert

The Grievance Committee makes recommendations to the dean on career salary and non-salary grievances. This academic year the committee made recommendations on two cases.

Online Education and Information Technology Committee, Vilja Hulden

The OEIT Committee drafted a set of principals to guide the ASC’s thinking on online education. This report has been widely distributed and the committee hopes for more feedback. On Monday, April 22, 9:30 am, the Academic Futures Online Education Committee will have a Town Hall on online education in Hellems 196.

Personnel Committee, Stephen Mojzsis for Kristy Tiampo

The Personnel Committee reviewed 76 cases this year; including tenure track reviews & promotions, instructor non-renewals and teaching professors.

Planning Committee, David Stock

The Planning Committee’s main project for the year was to work with Dean White, Professor Mojzsis, Assistant Dean Lily Board (AAC) and Associate Dean Daryl Maeda (Student Success) on student advising. The committee developed a plan to create a Faculty Advisory Board to the AAC. Nominations for this board have been received but nominations from the social sciences are still needed.

Budget Committee, Patricia Rankin

Professor Rankin and the Budget Committee are concerned about the new Academic Program Allocation (program fees). A task force was set up to study this issues and its recommendation to pay the departments directly was changed. 21 chairs and directors in the College of Arts and Sciences wrote to the Provost to reconsider the procedures concerning the previous course fees. The Budget Committee and a majority of College of Arts and Sciences chairs and directors are concerned the college won’t receive adequate funds to educate our students to the best of our abilities. Rankin would like the ASC to waive procedure to review the current pilot program.

It was moved and seconded to waive standard procedures. A vote was taken. The motion to waive standard procedures was passed.

The following motion was moved and seconded:

The ASC requests reconsideration of the current pilot proposal for course fees and in particular to clarify that campus will cover the costs associated with benefits and salaries. We strongly urge these cost be covered by the campus.

Yes - 30, No - 0, Abstain - 1

Task Force on Instructors, Rolf Norgaard

Rolf Norgaard thanked Mojzsis and Dean White for commissioning the Task Force on Instructors and also thanked the members of the Task Force for their service. The report is on the website and an executive summary was previously shared. Norgaard let the ASC know what, although the report seemed to speak with one voice, the conclusions were developed by an virtual consensus of all the parties who were listened to, instructors, tenure track faculty and chairs and directors. The implementation phase is ahead.

The floor was opened for questions.

On implementation: Norgaard stated there were simple parts that will be easily accomplished but several that are more complicated that the committee is beginning to work on. Changing from a 4/4 teaching load to 3/3 will include a different teaching/service/professional development ratio, will have budgetary ramifications and is being discussed with Amy Lavens in the Finance Office. Also, implementing a basic floor for voting rights for instructors is key to seeing tenure track faculty and instructors, collectively, as core faculty. 

All policies concerning instructors are made by the individual campuses so the Boulder campus has been able to move ahead of less progressive campuses when it comes to instructors.

Working titles and the role of lecturers in the Task Force Report were also discussed. Lecturers have been treated as temporary faculty but are often in their roles multiple years. The Instructor Task Force recommends more hiring of instructors from the ranks of long-serving, highly regarded lecturers.

The following motion was made and seconded:

The Arts and Sciences Council endorses the Task Force on Instructors Report.

Yes - 25, No - 0, Abstain - 1

Professor Mojzsis would like to consider implementation at a future meeting.

Task Force on Strategic Plan Implementation, Michaele Ferguson & Elaine Paul

Professor Ferguson recognized the members of the Task Force who were in attendance; the report was presented at the last ASC meeting, feedback was received and minor edits were made. Feedback was received from staff only; information on Be Heard and descriptions of faculty and students were added. Implementation was also addressed. Alicia Turchette, chair of the Staff Advisory Committee, read a statement of support from the SAC, acknowledging the increased inclusion of staff. Sarah Altshuler from Arts and Sciences Student government let the ASC know they are also working on a statement of support and are looking forward to being more involved with the ASC.

A friendly amendment was added in the definition of staff:

Unless otherwise specified, staff refers to all university and classified staff in the college of arts and sciences including those who work in student services, those who work to support faculty and academic departments changed to those who work in partnership with faculty and academic departments

A motion was made and seconded to support the friendly amendment.

Yes - 23, No - 0, Abstain - 0

A motion was made and seconded to endorse the Task Force on Strategic Plan Implementation Report, revised strategic plan and the recommendations therein.

Yes - 24, No - 1, Abstain - 1

This will put in to motion the implementation of the plan.

Outcome on the vote for ASC Chair, Barbara Buttenfield

For Stephen Mojzsis to serve a 3rd one-year term as ASC chair, yes - 21, no - 1, abstain - 0.

The assembled representatives applauded the re-election of Professor Mojzsis.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:55PM.

Minutes submitted by Janice Jeffryes